Quarryscapes Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Some of us have curly hair, which can't be shaved (becomes ingrown) and can't be grown into a tidy beard. Stuck in a land of perennial scruffy stubble! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
royaloak Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Some of us have curly hair, which can't be shaved (becomes ingrown) and can't be grown into a tidy beard. Stuck in a land of perennial scruffy stubble! Genuine question- Why not? Surely it isnt that curly after a day or three to be unshaveable? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted February 10, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 10, 2018 Genuine question- Why not? Surely it isnt that curly after a day or three to be unshaveable? As I understand it, curly hair sometimes doesn't even get above the skin surface and grows under the skin, and it's a pretty horrible thing to deal with. Not having curly hair myself, I don't experience the problem. As for shavers, I have used Phillips for most of my shaving life, only occasionally going to a wet shave. My current Phillips was a top of line rechargeable model bought back in the mid 2000s. It still has the same head/rotary blades, but is probably due for those to be replaced now. It gives a good shave for an electric, and I wouldn't go back to wet as long as it (or an equivalent) exist. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 (edited) Started out with a wet razor and went electric when I married the first Mrs Spikey, there being no further requirement for an ultra-close shave. Been electric ever since (cheapo Braun cordless), the present Mrs Spikey never having complained of abrasion even when we were courting. Really can't be doing with faffing about with a wet shave. BTW, I note with interest that, surprisingly enough, nobody's yet wandered off into the realms of "body hair" and the shaving thereof ... Edited February 10, 2018 by spikey Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coppercap Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 On the question of electric shavers they are still widely sold, and my Pa and FiL both use one in their nineties. I suspect they will always be a boon for the elderly man, what with loss of dexterity and other limitations of old age. Only last year did I manage to persuade my (92 years old) dad to get an electric shaver. He was always cutting himself wet shaving, partly due to his now thinner skin and also the fact he now gets nasty spots erupting on his face (which he always cut the tops off), not helped by his failing eyesight. As I'm now his 'carer' for household duties etc., I had got fed up with having to get dried blood stains off clothes, towels and bedclothes - every wash. Not only that, he looked like he'd been in a fight most days, and he wasn't a pleasant sight for others when he went out. The Philishave was on offer, and while he says it's not as nice as a wet shave, he's accepted that it's a lot easier for me to clean clothes etc., and less faff in the morning. Trouble is, sometimes he wants to go out somewhere and 'look smart', but he then goes and has a wet shave and bloodies his face, and nice clean shirt! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Torper Posted February 10, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted February 10, 2018 What is a razor pit? Save me googling it. EDIT: OK just googled it anyway (I knew I would). Worth a go I suspect but it would be interesting what the views of users are on here if the difference is as marked as suggested in the blurb. I bought the razorpit ((https://www.amazon.co.uk/Razorpit-RP-O-B-Razor-Blade-Sharpener/dp/B004W2UMDW/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1518282813&sr=8-2&keywords=razorpit) just after i bought the razor (Gilette Fusion Proglide) so I can't really compare it wiith the situation had I not been using it. I don't shave every day (though i ought to) and all I can say as to the efficacy of the razorpit is that the original blade is still going strong after three months and while maybe not quite so keen as when brand new is still giving me good and comfortable shaves. It doesn't sharpen the blades, just very thoroughly cleans them and, if the majority of posters to Amazon are to be believed, substantially prolongs the life of the blade. DT Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 .. and, if the majority of posters to Amazon are to be believed ... Gosh, that's a big if! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthBrit Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I use mi Grandpappy's razor. The blade was good enough for 'im 'n' mi dad, it's good 'enuff for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted February 10, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 10, 2018 I use Gillette Fusion blades and they last several weeks without a razor pit. I agree with others that cheap disposables are a false economy. To the point that even if caught short travelling I think you are better off buying the starter pack of a decent razor. They tend to come with one or two blades and are sold cheap to get people into buying the blades and are far better than buying disposables. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohmisterporter Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I used an electric shaver for some years and although it was effective enough I began to wonder what effect the bits of shaved hairs that must inevitably be inhaled would be having in my lungs. Went back to wet shaving after that. Many years ago there was an article in Model Maker in which someone converted a two cutter rotary shaver* into a small electric drill with the addition of a small drill chuck. PS. * I don't know how else to describe a shaver with two rotating cutting rings; Philips used to make one of this type, now they have three cutting rings. Hope this makes sense. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coppercap Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 PS. * I don't know how else to describe a shaver with two rotating cutting rings; Philips used to make one of this type, now they have three cutting rings. Hope this makes sense. They still make a dry-cell battery-powered 'travel' model with two cutters. Two AA batteries lasted for a month of shaves, which I thought was quite impressive. The shave was OK too, but then it was still new... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted February 10, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2018 I have just converted to a rechargeable shaver after many years of using premium blades for a wet shave, as I saw the blades ever increasing in price and only getting about 10 decent shaves out of a premium blade. The new electrical beast (Braun) can be used either dry or wet....they say in the shower, and the wet variety of electric shave is far better than shaving dry. However neither match up to a proper wet shave. I also have what is best described as a few awkward spots in my beard, and I now deal with these with a disposable razor as a dry scrape which does the job. Have I saved money? Probably not as I now have all three systems in use when I feel that the use of a system is appropriate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I have an electric Braun that I use when I go away on hols (or exhibitions) for quickness but it doesn't give as good a shave as a wet one. I was using Mach 3s for years until I read an article in The Guardian on this very subject. After reading it Mrs steve found a Wilkinson safety razor and blades set which she presented to me to try. It took a bit of practice (I used to use one about 40 years ago) but it gives a far better shave than the Mach 3. Blades seem to last a long time and are cheaper that Mach 3s. About 25 years ago I was bought a cut throat one which I tried for a while. I think you need to be a professional to use one of those properly and I ended up giving it away before I did myself serious damage. (Maybe that was the giver, ex-wife 2 wanted...) steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
royaloak Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 As I understand it, curly hair sometimes doesn't even get above the skin surface and grows under the skin, and it's a pretty horrible thing to deal with. Not having curly hair myself, I don't experience the problem. Ah now I understand, leaving the hairs clear of the surface (IE not shaving) keeps the hairs in the open, but shaving them means they can curl up under the surface of the skin causing all sorts of issues. I never thought of that but have suffered a few ingrowers in my time and 'digging' them out' is not pleasant at all. I genuinely feel for people who suffer from this condition. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dunsignalling Posted February 10, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2018 (edited) They still make a dry-cell battery-powered 'travel' model with two cutters. Two AA batteries lasted for a month of shaves, which I thought was quite impressive. The shave was OK too, but then it was still new... They actually make two, the cheaper of which has heads that don't "float" and getting a decent result will take longer and probably be a bit less comfortable. John Edited February 10, 2018 by Dunsignalling Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prometheus Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 (edited) Anyone used one of these, the infamous Rolls razor? I did, just once....... Tony Edited February 10, 2018 by Prometheus 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 After yesterday's mention of razor pits I ordered one from Amazon (£12.50) and has just been delivered, it will be interesting to see if it prolongs the life of the blades. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 Anyone used one of these, the infamous Rolls razor? I did, just once....... Tony How on earth does that work? IIRC, Rolls Razor were involved in the refrigerator factory on Fabian Way, Swansea, which went belly-up not long after opening; this site would become part of the Ford site. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chriswright03 Posted February 11, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2018 After yesterday's mention of razor pits I ordered one from Amazon (£12.50) and has just been delivered, it will be interesting to see if it prolongs the life of the blades. Dave Be very interested to hear how you find it then Dave. I stopped using Mach III because of the price sometime ago and now use Aldi version of it where the blades are much cheaper but it has to be said they do not last long. In any event I always end up finishing off a wet shave with the electric. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir TophamHatt Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 Apparently scraping the blade backwards on some demin works to clean it. I tried. And tried from side to side but didn't make much difference at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derekl Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 I use Gillette Blue 2 disposables, shaving every day. Maybe I have soft facial hair, but they last me about a month. I have used razors with replaceable blades in the past, and can't say I have noticed any great difference. It probably does not apply now with production outside the UK, but some years back, all the blades were similar - many were made in a British Steel factory at Stocksbridge (north of Sheffield) which supplied the blades to UK manufacturers. As I understand it, the same quality steel was used for disposable razors and for replaceable blades (although that may have changed now). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohmisterporter Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 A company I worked for started in 1926 making razor blades and gradually went into making plastic accessories to go with them. The plastics side of the business overtook the blades and when disposables came out they had a choice of huge investment to re-equip and compete or give up the razor business altogether. They chose to stop the razor business and went on to be one of the foremost family owned plastic moulding companies in the UK. They originally sold blades with the title "Double six" which was six blades for six pence. Four times a day a chap in the quality department took a blade at random from the production line and shaved with it. He either had the smoothest face in town or the bloodiest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheffield Posted February 12, 2018 Share Posted February 12, 2018 Given that we throw the blades in the bin when we have finished with them, collectively the world must be throwing away a great deal of mostly stainless steel a year. And it will take a long time to rot away, like the plastic holding it..Perhaps we should go back to using a cut throat blade that lasts a lifetime and sharpen it as needed., Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Anyone used one of these, the infamous Rolls razor? I did, just once....... Tony I did, for several years. Admittedly it was a bit of an affectation but, given attention to sharpening, it gave the best shave I've ever had. Oddly enough I never cut myself with it, whereas I have with ostensibly safer razors. I wear a beard these days, as I have, off and on, for more than 30 years (no hipster, me). It varies between the 48 hour stubble left by my hair clippers with no comb, and a hedge, at which point it's time for the clippers again. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 How on earth does that work? IIRC, Rolls Razor were involved in the refrigerator factory on Fabian Way, Swansea, which went belly-up not long after opening; this site would become part of the Ford site. The case has a whetstone inside one lid (the open one in the shot) and a leather strop inside the other, shown ready for use. The bent rod handle inthe box pulls and pushes a roller along a rack and pinion arrangement that lives in one side of the case. The blade is attached to the roller by a sort of twistlock peg. Moving the handle back and forth presents the blade to the selected sharpening surface in the appropriate direction. Dragged for strop, pushed for stone. For use the blade clips into the top of the handle shown in the middle. It all sounds a bit of a faff but it's actually a very clever design that is harder to describe than it is to use. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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